BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF SELECTED GREEK MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS EXTRACTS ON ALTERNARIA ALTERNATA

Efstathia Skotti; Sofia Kountouri; Maria Kaiafa; Pavlos Bouchagier; Dimitrios I. Tsitsigiannis; Moschos Polissiou; Petros A. Tarantilis

doi:10.9755/ejfa.2016-06-618

Authors

Efstathia Skotti 1 Laboratory of Chemistry, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, School of Food, Biotechnology and Development, Agricultural University of Athens, Lera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
Sofia Kountouri 2 Laboratory of Phytopathology, Department of Crop Science, School of Agricultural Production Infrastructure and Environment, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece,
Maria Kaiafa 2 Laboratory of Phytopathology, Department of Crop Science, School of Agricultural Production Infrastructure and Environment, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece,
Pavlos Bouchagier 3 Department of Food Technology, Technological Educational Institute of Ionian Islands, GR 28100 Kefallonia, Greece
Dimitrios I. Tsitsigiannis 2 Laboratory of Phytopathology, Department of Crop Science, School of Agricultural Production Infrastructure and Environment, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
Moschos Polissiou Laboratory of Chemistry, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, School of Food, Biotechnology and Development, Agricultural University of Athens, Lera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
Petros A. Tarantilis Laboratory of Chemistry, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, School of Food, Biotechnology and Development, Agricultural University of Athens, Lera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.9755/ejfa.2016-06-618

Keywords:

Medicinal and aromatic plants, Biological activity, Alternaria alternata

Abstract

In this study, the biological activity of selected Greek medicinal and aromatic plants on the phytopathogenic fungus Alternaria alternata
was investigated. Biological activity was screened on crude aqueous extracts and their aqueous phase (ap-pt) after further extraction
with petroleum ether. All the Lamiaceae species examined were found to enhance significantly the mycelium growth. Melissa officinalis
extracts caused the highest stimulation in mycelium growth, (+109.1%) the ap-pt, and (+51.6%) its crude extract. All ap–pt extracts
stimulated conidia production, but Melissa officinalis caused the highest effect (+349.3%). Crude extracts of Salvia officinalis stimulated
highly conidial production (+65%) whereas Hyssopus. officinalis and Origanum vulgare inhibited conidia production at 33.3% and 50.0%
respectively. The differences in biological activity between crude and ap–pt extracts for each plant species were attributed through the
calculation of correspondent synergism ratios (SR) to the interaction between volatile and water – soluble. Rosmarinic acid, detected as
the most abundant phenolic compound in all extracts analyzed and found to correlate strongly (R= 0.84) with the stimulation effect on
spore production of A. alternata.